Football project scores £100,000 backing

A football-led community project in Walsall has secured £100,000 funding to expand its work bringing people from different backgrounds together.

Saddlers United, launched by Walsall FC Foundation – the official charity of the Sky Bet League Two club – last summer, has received £70,000 from the Premier League Fans Fund to support its work over the next two seasons.

A further £30,000 has been provided by Wolverhampton-based Pallet-Track, which is entering the third year of its partnership with Walsall FC and is title sponsor of the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.

The logistics business has also donated 500 matchday tickets to the project to encourage more people from across the community to attend games during the 2026/27 season.

Walsall FC Foundation director Adam Davy says the investment will help expand Saddlers United and fund a permanent member of staff to lead the initiative.

Built around a steering group of community leaders, the project uses football, food and cultural experiences to strengthen community links.

Adam said: “Saddlers United is about showing that football can be a positive tool for social connection, cultural understanding, and inclusion.

“Football is a vehicle which can bring communities together.

“The programme is about ensuring Walsall’s diverse communities feel welcome at the club, including those which are not currently as visible in the matchday crowd as they are in the streets around the stadium.

“Our view is simple – if you took ten people from ten countries and ten different languages and threw a ball in, they’d be playing five-a-side in no time.

“We believe football can unite people and genuinely be a force for good, and this programme is about celebrating that.”

Activities have included two Community Iftars during Ramadan, Mosque Open Days and Diwali celebrations, alongside Afghan football and food events with Walsall Churches and a Community Christmas Cohesion event.

The initiative has also provided homelessness and food bank support.

Adam added: “We have done a really good job without any significant national funding.

“That was a big part of the bid to the Premier League for this grant: look at what we’ve done with no funding, imagine what we could do with some.

“Now this funding is unlocked, we want to make sure we utilise it to do even more than we already are.

“It’s an ambition to make the football club the centre of cohesion and integration in the local community.”

Stuart Godman, chief executive of Pallet-Track, added: “Our partnership with Walsall FC has grown significantly over the past three years and when we spoke to Adam, and the team, about the possibility of supporting Saddlers United, we did not hesitate for a second.

“This is a wonderful community project which has already shown its value without the benefit of any funding, so its impact is only going to grow over the next two years now financial backing has been secured.

“We’re excited to see the lasting impact of this project on many diverse communities in and around Walsall and are very proud to support the local community.”

Saddlers United has already received national recognition, finishing third in the EDI category at the National Business Awards.

Its steering group includes representatives from faith, cultural, armed forces and community organisations across Walsall, with plans also being developed to establish an LGBTQ+ supporters’ group.

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